For golf, it's the Summer of Rules
Golf Betting Lines
08/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I know the feeling.
You wake up in the morning and realize one of three things has happened: 1) You have forgotten to set your alarm; 2) You have set your alarm, but woke up and turned it off; or 3) You set your alarm, which for some reason didn't go off.
Immediately you know something is wrong. It's too bright outside for when you were supposed to be awake. Your circadian rhythm is percussing like a drumline.
You sit up and call out loud, "Oh, crap!" Only you probably don't say "crap."
Jim Furyk knows the feeling, too. He woke up at 7:23 on Wednesday morning, seven minutes before he was supposed to be on the tee for his pro-am start at The Barclays. Furyk rushed to the course -- he didn't have time to put on a belt or socks and his shoes weren't tied -- but arrived in the locker room at 7:35, five minutes after his tee time.
He was disqualified from the tournament under the PGA Tour rule that says any player who misses a pro-am time, except for cases involving an injury or family emergency, is ineligible to play in that week's event.
So which situation got Furyk? That would be number 3.
"I overslept. I always use my phone as an alarm and it had no power this morning," Furyk said. "I don't know if something happened with the charger or what but I never got it."
Tour rules official Slugger White said his hands were tied.
"A commitment to play in the tournament is a commitment to play in the pro- am," said White. "It is unfortunate for Jim. It is unfortunate for the tournament. He is a fan favorite and everybody likes him."
Furyk made the PGA Tour playoffs -- which start at The Barclays -- after finishing No. 3 in regular season FedEx Cup points. He should safely make it through to the end -- fields are pared down weekly from 125 to 100 to 70 and then 30 for the finale at the Tour Championship. But he will still miss out on a $7.5 million tournament, and the chance to improve his position, for breaking one of golf's myriad rules.
"I played my heart out all year," said Furyk, who has won twice this season and is ranked No. 6 in the world. "I've got no one to blame but myself."
Of course, Furyk is only the latest in a line of golfers who have had run-ins with the rule book this year.
In April, three LPGA Tour players were disqualified from the season's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, for missing their pro-am times. Among them was Maria Hjorth, who took to her Twitter account Wednesday to comment on Furyk's ouster.
"So I am not the only one getting dq'd from an event for missing a proam," Hjorth wrote. "Heard Jim F. slept in today and will not be playing. Stupid rule!"
Coincidentally, Furyk was the beneficiary of a rules infraction a couple of weeks later when Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself in a playoff at the Heritage. Davis' club hit a loose impediment in a hazard next to the green and Furyk won the tournament.
"I'm happy I won," Furyk said at the time, "but I feel badly for him."
"Live by the rules," said Davis.
And die by them.
Last Saturday, LPGA player Juli Inkster was disqualified from the Safeway Classic for using a weighted "donut" on her club while she warmed up before hitting her tee shot at the 10th hole.
The same day, Canadian Tour player Jose de Jesus Rodriguez was disqualified after failing to sign his scorecard for the third round of the Seaforth Country Classic. The score? A 10-under 61 that had Rodriguez in the lead by three shots.
"It's harsh," said Darren Griff, who assumed the 54-hole lead. "There's not much you can say."
Inkster was ratted out by a TV viewer who spotted the infraction and e-mailed the tour. The golf Hall of Famer was trying to stay loose during a 30-minute wait at the hole.
"It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is," she said. "I'm very disappointed."
Inkster violated a rule in the USGA book regarding the use of artificial devices or unusual equipment. It's the same rule -- 14-3 -- that got NFL great Jerry Rice disqualified from a Nationwide Tour event in May. Rice's caddie was pinched for using a range-finder to measure distance.
Dustin Johnson's caddie was at least partially to blame when Johnson was disqualified from the PGA Championship two weeks ago for grounding his club in a bunker on the final hole.
Johnson missed out on a playoff that was won by Martin Kaymer after committing one of the biggest rules blunders in golf history. His caddie and the walking rules official shared in the blame, but ultimately the mistake was Johnson's.
"Never once did it cross my mind it was a sand trap," he said.
Sadly, I am also guilty of a rules infraction. I have been disqualified from my 9-hole Tuesday night league for failing to post the minimum number of scores. Seems I was supposed to play at least eight times. I played seven.
Oh, crap.
Sinsheim, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hoffenheim midfielder Carlos Eduardo completed a move to Russian champions Rubin Kazan on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Brazilian has spent the past three seasons with Hoffenheim, scoring 13 goals i
<< Vikings acquire WR Camarillo from Dolphins
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly
acquired wide receiver Greg Camarillo from the Miami Dolphins.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Dolphins got cornerback Benny
Sapp in return.
M
<< Could be a wide-open Open
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 2010 U.S. Open will get underway in
less than a week, and this year's fields appear to be a bit more wide open
than usual.
We already know we'll have a new men's champion next month, as 2009 winner
Ju
<< Jaguars ink RB Kolby Smith
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Jacksonville Jaguars signed running
back Kolby Smith, the club announced on Wednesday.
Smith, 25, joins the Jaguars following a brief stint with Denver. The 5-
foot-11, 219-pounder was signe
<< Travers is wide-open Mid-Summer Derby
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes
has attracted an evenly matched field of 11 three-year-olds. Saratoga's Mid-
Summer Derby will be conducted over the main track at 1 1/4-miles.
Local winner A
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The West Division returns to play this week after a bye, with the two basement dwellers set to host the top teams. The Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions have a lot of work cut out for them to get back into the swi
Rays activate Niemann from DL >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays have reinstated pitcher Jeff
Niemann from the 15-day disabled list to start Wednesday's game versus the
Angels.
Niemann, who is 10-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 22 games this season, was on the
Bower named McNeese State's starting QB >>
Lake Charles, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - McNeese State has named Jacob Bower as its
starting quarterback for the 2010 season.
The Idaho native and former Tulsa quarterback is a 25-year-old graduate student
at McNeese State.
He will see action
White Sox place Putz, Thornton on DL >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox have placed relievers
J.J. Putz and Matt Thornton on the 15-day disabled list.
Putz left Tuesday's 7-5 win over Baltimore after throwing three pitches and
has been diagnosed with ri
Kings agree to terms with D Mitchell >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms
with free-agent defenseman Willie Mitchell on a two-year contract worth $3.5
million per season.
Mitchell's 2009-10 season was derailed by a concussion, lim
Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
--------------------------------------------------
Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com